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Harry Reid looks to stick around

Reid has the final say on all aspects of his party’s floor strategy. | John Shinkle/POLITICO

But Schumer’s past rivalry with Majority Whip Dick Durbin of Illinois, the subject of intense speculation for Senate watchers the past few years, has alienated some in the Senate Democratic ranks, especially with some “Old Bulls.” They privately complain that Schumer has looked too eager to assume the mantle of Democratic leader, which affirms a belief among some Democrats that Reid will remain in power. And by staying with Reid, they don’t have to choose between Schumer and Durbin in a messy leadership fight.

“I think it’s unseemly,” said one Senate Democrat of Schumer’s clear ambition to one day become Democratic leader.

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But another Democratic senator, who requested anonymity, said “everyone knows he’s 100 percent loyal to Reid.”

There is a big caveat in Reid’s personal life, however: His wife, Landra — the two were married in 1959 — is undergoing treatment for breast cancer. People close to Reid say they can sense the strain of his wife’s illness on the taciturn party boss.

Reid does have his detractors on both sides of the aisle. Some Democrats privately speculated that Reid would step down as leader if they lose their majority, possibly taking a top spot on the Appropriations Committee or another position.

“I think he would step aside,” said one long-term Democratic senator, who asked to remain anonymous. “I don’t see how he could stay on.”

Republicans, for their part, see Reid as a polarizing leader who refuses to allow the Senate to work its will, vote on amendments or forge bipartisan consensus.

“If our leader did that, I will work to overthrow him,” Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) said, adding that the country is “worse off” since Reid became leader.

Coburn added: “This isn’t the Senate anymore. You look at the number of times he’s filled the tree [blocked amendments] compared to everybody else combined. Look at how many times he’s filed cloture at the same time he’s filed a bill. Look at times that he’s not allowed amendments, but when he does allow them, he picks them. That’s not the Senate.”

It is important for Reid to stay in control of the Dem caucus after the Republicans take control of the Senate (which most political observers say should happen this fall). And th eRepublicans will help Reid stay atop his party and be one of the signature policy pros in the Dem Party for years to come.

The Republicans want to get a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate over the course of the next two election cycles. That likely could ONLY happen if Reid stayed in control of the Dem Party and continued driving towards the cliff at full speed.

The leadership of Nancy Pelosi was critical to the Republcians in them capturing the House in 2010, and keeping her in a leadership psotion will help Republicans retain, and possibly expand their dominance in that chamber as well. Her favorability ratings across the nation are so poor, that her coattails drag down all Dems in many districts in many states other than California. Her leadership in 2010 enabled the Republicans to gain control of the national redistricting of Congressional seats following the once-a-decade census and reapportionment process. Republicans were able to capture the governors offices and legislatures in many more states because of her, and this could swing 10 or more new seats to the Republicans in 2012.

Reid, Pelosi, and Obmaa are the three biggest reasons for a resurgence of Republicans following the end of the Bush Administration. Bush, and his policies on war and the economic recession badly hurt the Republicans Party. Not that he was totally responsible, but he certainly took the blame. Dems road in on a wave of public support. And they lost it so fast, because of the leadership of this triumvirate, that it will go in history as one of the most monumental shifts in political power in our nation's long history.

So, up with Reid and Pelosi! The will Keep Republicans dominant in Congress for years to come!

We need Reid around to save the nation! I mean, who else could get Obama's defense plan enacted?

During a time when China is expanding its nuclear and naval capabilities; Russia is expanding its nuclear capabilities,; N. Korea is expanding its nukes and missile delivery systems; Iran is developing nukes and long-range missiles; Venezuela is cooperating with Iran and N. Korea to develop nuclear technology; Pakistan is expaniding its nuclear aresenal while its government teeters; and AQ and other groups or nations may begin to proliferate nuclear weapons; it is only NATURAL for Dems to propose that we cut our capabilities by 80% which we reduce our military strength and of our conventional forces.

Yep.....these guys are real heros! Military and foreign policy wizards! (with about the same success rate as the Washington Wizards). I mean, with alll of the other nations around the world developing nukes, why would we need to add to the problem?

Harry Reid AND Nancy Pelosi in the minority with a Republican President. A dream come true. But, I won't hold my breath. As opposed to so many on these silly sites, I make no predictions. I only hope for change.

Reidd is Obama's foil on the Republican lead Congress. Without Reid blocking the bipartisian jobs bills voted through the Republican lead House Obama wouldn't be able to run against the "Do Nothing" Congress.

There are four separate House passed jobs bills that recieved over 400 votes in the House (175-190 Dem votes each) that Reid won't allow to hit the Senate floor for a vote.

The best thing that could happen to this country other then Obama being voted out is for Reid to lose control of the Senate.

It's interesting to hear how other senators feel about him. But the fact is that our Congressional politicians have been lying to us for decades and they're collectively steering us for ruin! We need to elect leadership who take our fiscal problems seriously enough to deal with them instead of ignore them and add to them. We literally can't afford more of Obama. Whoever the GOP nominee is gets my vote. The leftist media doesn't admit this, but the national debt has accelerated at an unprecedented rate under Obama, and it wasn't pretty to start with. It now EQUALS our entire ECONOMY. Reported in the UK, because the media here isn't honest enough to do so. This debt doesn't even count the fact that things like Obamacare won't add into the total debt until all parts of the law go into effect, and you can count on the fact that it will be much more expensive than projected, just like any other government program. To top off the horrible debt, all branches of the federal government get an automatic 10% increase in budget each year, based upon spending of the previous year. This is since the 1974 Budget Reform Act. Any proposal to lower the automatic increases are met with cries of "Draconian cuts!" from the left. It doesn't take a mathematician to realize this is unsustainable growth and will quickly turn us into the EU if we aren't already.

Contrary to the understanding of those 'standing with the 99%,' Washington has no intention of fixing any problems within Wall Street - they've been in bed with them (on both sides) for generations, and have rigged things in the personal favor of their insider trading and political donors in the forms of tax exemption and government money. According to the recent book, "Throw them all out," a strong majority of the corruption is on the Democrat side. Obama himself has more campaign cash from Wall Street than all the GOP contenders combined. We absolutely need to look for politicians - on both sides- who recognize the culture of corruption in Washington bringing us headlong into financial crisis, and who have the character to withstand Washington's corruption and change things for the citizens of the country. We shouldn't be distracted by the partisan bickering in Washington and be partisan ourselves, that will hardly help the problem.

It never ceases to amaze me how some Democrats will just shout the same talking points over and over without looking at facts, and especially without looking at both sides of an argument. There is plenty of flip-flopping and corruption with Democrats too. Partisanship causes blindness on both sides. You've got to read both sides anymore to get a good idea of what's really going on, because both sides leave stuff out. The liberal media counts on its followers being gullible enough to not think for themselves. It is your duty to be a well-informed voter, not a brainwashed and partisan voter.

Harry will do well as long as we have stupid voters like we have in San Francisco where 85% voted for Pelosi and Obama! 85% How crazy is that number? Obama should get a like amount of the WELFARE VOTE - KEEP the FREEBIES coming say those that find it more profitable to be on WELFARE and collect cash from Side Jobs, theft, burglary and other Chicago style endeavours. Harry, is good at selling legislation although not as prolific as Obama. I guess being trained in Las Vegas is not as good as being trained in CHICAGO. And how often do you hear Trust him, he is from Las Vegas?

Why can't Harry Reid just retire and enjoy his "Golden Years" In Searchlight, Nevada? After all, Barney Frank, another out-of-touch Liberal Democrat is calling it quits after only 16 terms, to "marry" his boyfriend in Massachusetts, having pandered all these years to his Liberal special interests and wreaking upon us all economic disaster and depression we are squarely face. What a national disgrace these Liberal ideologues are. Regardless, Harry Reid will definitely not be leading the United States Senate after the upcoming Election Day Republican landslide on November 6, 2012. He's one of the career politicians in Washington, D.C., much like former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, who rank among the most disliked politicians in the eyes of most of the American people. Mark your calendars to vote all Democrats out of office.

The house is going to flip and the senate will get more democrat seats.

The GOP agenda:

Tax cuts for the rich, eliminate EPA, eliminate birth control, pray the gay away, abolish child labor laws, abolish unions, home school, medical vouchers for seniors, raise the retirement age to 75, privatize ss, raise taxes on the poor who pay no taxes, deport 12 million people, make life miserable so poor people will self-deport, more voodoo economics, trickle down to the Cayman Islands